No Cap

Chapter 16

As long as I have a face, you have a seat.

—Quincy to Hollis

QUINCY

“Hello?” I answered, dreading what I would hear on the other line.

“We have a dead chick at the gas station on Twenty-ninth,” the operator, AthenaMurphy, said without preamble.

Igroaned. “Dammit, Athena.”

Justas I said that, Gable’s head snapped up, his eyes intense.

SoGable had a thing for Athena.

Hewasn’t willing to admit it, so he just lived for tiny glances and snippets of conversations involving her.

“Sorry, boss,” Athena murmured quietly. “IfI could send anyone else, I would.”

“10-4,” I murmured. “Thanks, darlin’.”

Ihung up and immediately stood up.

“What…”

“Caught a call,” I said. “You ready?”

Shestood up, gathering her plates.

Mymom stopped her before she could take two steps into the kitchen. “Thanks, honey. I hope that your day was better.”

Hollis’sshoulders drooped. “You have no idea how much better it turned out to be. Thank you for the lasagna and the dessert.”

Then, surprising both my mom and me, she wrapped my mom up in a hug.

Momwasn’t a huggy-touchy type person. The job had hardened her.

Shehugged us, when we initiated the hug, but she didn’t necessarily do the reaching out and making the effort thing.

Butshe returned Hollis’s hug.

“Let the boys know if you need help with that computer. They all seem to know their way around them better than most,” Mom murmured as she let Hollis go.

Hollisgrinned and said, “I’ll just bet they do.”

Offeringmy dad a handshake as I left, I said, “Golf tomorrow at eight, still?”

“You know it,” Dad confirmed.

Weall tried to meet up once a week to play golf with him.

Itwasn’t our favorite thing in the world to do, but Dad liked it, so we did what he liked.

Couldwe have more fun playing disc golf or shooting skeet? Yeah. ButDad didn’t. So, we sucked it up and went with him, three at a time. Dad loved it, and we had company to laugh at all the shitty shots that were taken in the four hours it took us to drink beer and play.

Sure, eight in the morning was early for beer, but the Carter men didn’t necessarily keep normal hours.

“Bye, darlin’!” my brothers called as I picked up Hollis’s new computer and we headed out.

“Bye!” she called right back, a beaming smile on her face.

Thatsmile stayed as I helped her into the car, placed the computer in her lap, and rounded the hood.

Itfell off when we got started back into town.

“Did someone die?” she asked.

“Someone died,” I confirmed.

“Bummer,” she murmured.

“Real bummer,” I agreed.

“What was that with Gable at hearing you say this Athena chick’s name?” she asked as we pulled out of my parents’ driveway.

Igrinned wickedly. “Caught that, did ya?”

Shescrunched up her nose. “Kind of hard not to when he whipped his head around and looked like he was hanging on your every word. So… what happened?”

“Gavrel, Athena’s brother, was Gable’s best friend and partner. He passed away in a traffic stop about a year and a half ago,” I explained. “I think he’s always had a thing for Athena, but him being best friends with Gavrel kept him from acting on it. Then he died, and Gable’s never gonna make that move now.”

“Wow,” she sighed. “That’s tragic.”

“It’s life,” I admitted. “Being a police officer is tough. Especially in a bigger town like Dallas. More crime per capita equals a larger chance that something could happen to you.”

Ifelt more than saw her turn and stare at me. “And you? Are you in danger?”

Idid look at her then, only long enough to get a gauge of her face, before turning back to the road.

“Less so than most cops,” I admitted. “I get the violence after it’s already been committed for the most part.”

Shestudied my face for a long time, almost until we were at her apartment.

WhenI finally got out of traffic long enough to look over at her, it was to see her staring blankly at the instrument panel of my truck, frowning.

“Why the long face?” I asked.

Shedidn’t hesitate to answer.

“I don’t like the idea of you in danger,” she admitted.

Igrinned then as I double parked in front of her apartment and got out.

Openingher door, I said as she slid out, “Why does that sound like it makes you upset?”

Sheworried her lip so long I didn’t think she’d answer.

Thenshe did. “BecauseI like you, QuincyCarter. I like you a lot. AndI’m not sure how to feel about that since, if you caught me in the act of doing something illegal, you’d actually arrest me.”

“I would,” I confirmed.

Maybe.

Possibly.

Well, probably only if she was doing something really wrong, like playing with TaiteDeRosa’s entrails with an evil smirk on her face.

Then, possibly I’d have to arrest her.

Shescoffed and ducked under my arm, heading for her front door, a frown on her face.

Was she mad that I confirmed her thoughts?

Icalled her name when she would’ve turned around to go inside, while also heading in her direction.

“Hollis?”

Sheturned, and I couldn’t stop myself from moving forward the last few feet separating us and pressing a kiss onto her cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Sheopened her mouth, and then closed it.

Then, deciding on what she was about to say, she said, “I’m never going to be the good girl, QuincyCarter.”

Isnorted. “I never asked you to be.”

Withthat, I headed to my truck.

Shecalled out to me as I was about to close the door.

“Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow. Whenever you want.”

WheneverI wanted?

Thatturned out to be at three in the morning.

Butshe did say whenever I wanted…

* * *

I should be going home.

Itwas well past three in the morning, yet I found myself driving not back to my place, but to Hollis’s place.

Ipulled into her parking lot, took the spot marked as visitors since it was open, grabbed the spare set of clothes I kept in my truck for occasions where I needed to change without going home, and got out.

Mygaze automatically went around the area, taking in everything, searching for signs of danger.

Ididn’t find any.

Noteven the homeless man I’d seen earlier in the day was around.

Stuffingmy phone and keys in my pocket and locking the truck with the button on the side of the door, I headed for the front of the building.

Iwas angry to see that the light there was out.

Iwas even angrier to find out that the door wasn’t pulled all the way close, leaving the entire building open to whomever wanted to get in.

Thehallways were even darker, the stairwell like a cave.

Bythe time I made it up the multiple flights of stairs to her floor, my anger was only barely under control.

Tonight’smurder had been exhausting.

Atwenty-year-old girl, who went to UNT—University of NorthTexas—had been out for a jog when she’d twisted her ankle and had been forced to stop at a gas station frequented by some gang members who thought it was their ‘home turf.’

Afterthe girl called her friends for a ride, she stayed on the phone with them, and was hovering right inside the gas station door, when the altercation had broken out.

Accordingto the friend who’d heard it all, a couple had been fighting loudly, and a few of the angry words had been directed at the friend. When she’d started to defend herself, an altercation broke out, and the phone was dropped.

Fromthere, the woman didn’t know what happened.

Butthe girl was found about an hour later behind the building, stuffed inside a black garbage bag from the gas station.

Cameraswere conveniently down at that moment in time, and the worker, who saw nothing, was definitely hiding something.

Thenagain, they always did when the gang was involved. It was safer to lie to the cops than it was to admit to any wrongdoing on the gang’s part. Otherwise, they’d wind up dead.

Needlessto say, I was frustrated as fuck before I’d even arrived here. Now even more so, seeing how freakin’ unsafe it was for anyone to live here, let alone a highly attractive, young woman.

Shovingone hand into my pocket, I contemplated knocking, and was just turning around to leave when the door opened.

“Are you going to come in here, or what?”

Iturned slowly, the soft glow of her apartment making a halo around her body as she stood in her door, welcoming me inside.

“Why are you up?” I asked as I turned but didn’t make a move to come inside.

Sheshrugged, the small smile falling from her face.

“A lot happened today,” she admitted. “My brain doesn’t like to shut off sometimes.”

Icould feel her on that.

Therewere many nights I lay awake, contemplating life.

Itook a step forward, but still didn’t go inside.

“IfI go in there…”

“I know what’s going to happen, and I consent one hundred and thirty-one percent.” She smiled.

Goddamn, that smile could cause wars.

“And you’re sure you’re okay with that?” I asked. “You know I’m not an easy man.”

That’swhen she laughed, full on belly laughed.

Shestepped into her apartment, then shook her head as she disappeared inside.

Ifollowed close behind, looking up to make sure I wasn’t about to shut Godzilla’s tail in the door, then locked it behind me.

Shewasn’t in the living room.

So, I followed her laughter to the bedroom where she was now lying on her bed, curled around herself, giggling.

Idropped my bag to the floor, shaking my head.

“You won’t think this is funny later,” I pointed out.

Sherolled her eyes. “Do you want to take a shower?”

“Will you be in there with me?” I asked.

Shebit her lip, then shook her head. “I think I’ll wait out here.”

Sothat was what happened. I took a shower, used her girly shampoo and soap, and got out, using her bright pink towel to dry off.

Bythe time I was dressed back in my new underwear, I was heading right back out to her.

Shehad all the lights off, but I didn’t need them to see her lying in bed.

Themoon’s glow was so bright tonight that there might as well be one of those bright as fuck LED bulbs lit in the room.

“This bed is tiny,” I murmured as I walked right up to it and pushed the covers to the side.

Holliswas in the middle and didn’t make a move to scoot over when I arrived at her side.

Takingthis as an invitation, I crawled into the bed, but not on either side of her. On top of her.

Sheinhaled deeply, but her hands didn’t push me away like they probably should have.

Wedidn’t know each other enough.

Therewere definitely some conflicts of interest here, too.

Yet…

Ileaned down and kissed her. This time for real.

Whenmy mouth met hers, she parted her lips, allowing my tongue to sweep inside.

Mycock, which had already been stiffening, went painfully hard in a matter of seconds.

Shetwisted then, parting her thighs, and I settled between her thighs, my cock pressed to her pussy.

Icould feel the heat through both of our… My hand snaked down, and I realized that the heat was way too evident and felt only bare skin where her panties should be.

Ipulled back, panting, and stared down at her moonlit face.

“You’re not wearing panties,” I said, sounding like an accusation.

Sheleaned forward and nipped my Adam’sApple.

“Panties are annoying at the best of times. WhenI’m sleeping, I like to be free. IfI wasn’t scared of a fire or something happening in the middle of the night, I’d be completely nude,” she admitted.

Igroaned, unable to stop myself from curling my hand down lower, curving around the outside of her thigh until my fingers were a scant few inches away from her bare pussy.

Asit was, my fingers were resting on her labia, not quite touching anything integral, but definitely nowhere appropriate.

Herbreathing was coming out harsher now, as if she wanted me to make the move, but didn’t want to seem too eager.

“I agree,” I growled.

ThenI lifted that leg up and went up onto my haunches in front of her.

Ilooked down, groaning when I saw the glint of wetness along the lips of her sex.

“Speak now, or forever hold your peace.” I groaned, slowly lowering my boxer briefs until my cock popped free.

Theinstant relief of it no longer being confined was immense.

Thelook on her face when she got her first good look at it was comedic gold.

“That’s not going to fit,” she breathed, backing up.

Icaught her around the waist and pulled her down, my cock catching on her pussy lips and bending slightly.

Breathnow coming in pants, I said, “It’ll fit, honey. It always does.”

Shebit her lip, and I leaned down and caught said lip between my teeth. “No more biting your lip. It drives me crazy.”

“Only you?” she gasped.

“Only.” I pressed a kiss to the top lip. Then the bottom. “Me.”

Shewiggled then, her pussy wanting me even if her mind was saying otherwise.

Iground myself against her, coating myself in her wetness.

“I hate to have this conversation when we’re both really far gone,” I gritted my teeth. “But birth control…”

“On it,” she offered. “AndI’m clean. Uh, I… it’s been a while.”

Thatwas music to my ears.

Iliked that it’d been a while.

Iliked even more that I could take her bare.

“I get tested once every six months at the department,” I said. “I’m clean. Just had my last checkup a couple of weeks ago.”

Sheblew out a long breath, then said, “I guess you could try to work that monster inside of me.”

Ilaughed and pulled my underwear off the entire way.

Tossingthem to the floor beside the bed, I twisted her until she was up on her knees, ass high in the air.

“Jesus,” she gasped. “This probably isn’t the best way…”

Probablywasn’t. Not when we were new, and my cock was big, and she was small.

Butgoddamn, I’d been dreaming of having her on her knees.

I’dbeen having fantasies about her since I saw her that night six months ago.

Morbid? Yes.

Desperate? Also yes.

“It’ll be okay, honey,” I said as I soothed my hand up her ass.

Sheshivered, then went down until her face was against the mattress.

Itook that as the invitation it was and brushed through her folds with two fingers.

Theycame away dripping, and I couldn’t stop myself from bringing my fingers to my mouth and licking them clean.

“Oh, goddammit,” she whispered. “There’s no way this isn’t going to be the shortest sexcapade…”

Isnorted, then went back to her pussy with my fingers, this time skipping the wetness test for what I really wanted.

Buryingmy fingers into her depths, I realized that this might be more work than I thought. She was really tight. As in, it’s been more than a while for her tight.

Ididn’t let that deter me, though. I continued to work my fingers into her until she was taking three fingers with ease.

WhenI felt that she was ready, I coated my cock with her wetness from my fingers, then guided it to her eager hole.

Shewas quivering in anticipation, and before I could get my cock head inside, she was already coming.

Unableto stop myself at the thought of her falling apart around me, I shoved inside.

Ittook me three thrusts until I was fully buried, but that orgasm went from a nice and sweet one to an all-encompassing, going to kill you, one.

Shewailed, her hands digging into the sheets, and bucked against me.

Itwas the single hottest thing I’d ever experienced in my life.

“Not even all the way inside you and you go off like a rocket,” I growled, my hands squeezing her ass cheeks as I tried to force myself to slow down.

Shepanted and didn’t answer. She did, however, wiggle her ass, begging for more.

Ididn’t disappoint. I slowly pushed and pulled, my cock becoming slicker and slicker with her juices, before I buried myself to the hilt, balls pressed tightly against her.

“SweetMary,” Hollis breathed. “What the hell?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had ‘what the hell’ said to me,” I murmured quietly. “Are you okay?”

“I think I’m having an out-of-body experience,” she admitted. “Can you fuck me already?”

Iwouldn’t want to take away from her out-of-body experience.

Givingher what she wanted, I pulled back all the way, then slowly pushed back inside, testing her readiness.

Shehissed in a breath before saying, “God, you’re so deep.”

Iwas.

Shetook all of me, and I could feel the end of her with each press of my cock.

“You take me so well,” I mused, my hand running up the length of her spine to stop at her shoulder. Curling my hand around her trap, fingers grazing her collar bone, I gripped her securely. Then said, “Hold on, Maverick.”

“Maverick?” she panted but did as I asked of her and gripped the sheets.

“My little rule breaker.” I gripped her other hip.

“I’m not a rule breaker…” she lied.

Ichuckled, then started to fuck her in deep, hard strokes. The sound of our breathing, and the slap of our skin, were the only sounds to fill the room for a solid five minutes.

Thenshe started mewling, and I knew that I only had to hold on just a little bit longer.

Butthe feel of her hot pussy wrapped around me, as well as the way she was pulsing… it was a race against time.

Iwas practically finished reciting the Greek alphabet in my head when it happened.

Shetwisted, collapsing onto her belly, and I followed her down.

Thenew position was so tight, and I could get so deep, there was no hope left for me.

Ilost control.

Istarted to come, and there was no way for me to stop it.

Myhands repositioned, one curling under her body to hold her in place, while the other went to the outside of her thigh, squeezing tight.

“Oh, fuck. I’m coming!” she cried out. “The sheet… your cock… my clit…”

Isqueezed my eyes shut and unloaded into her, sending months and months of pent-up frustration inside of her in forceful jets.

“God,” she whispered shakily long moments later. “That was…”

Magic.

Idropped my head to rest on her shoulder, knowing I was crushing her, but having no way to stop it. She’d rung every last ounce of cum out of me, and there was nothing left inside me to give.

“I can’t breathe,” she whispered through panted breaths.

“I know,” I admitted. “ButI can’t move right now.”

Shelaughed and twisted, pushing me off of her.

Ihelped, of course, finding just enough strength to push with my left leg until I fell onto the bed beside her.

“We made a mess,” she grumbled as she got up out of the bed and went to the bathroom.

Shedidn’t turn on the light, but I heard every move she made as she cleaned herself up.

Longmoments later she came back with a bath towel and a hand towel.

Throwingthe hand towel at me, she laid the bath towel down before collapsing onto the mattress.

Icleaned myself off and tossed the towel over the side of the bed, then leaned over and gathered her into my arms.

Shecame very willingly, collapsing into my side with her head on my chest.

“Your chest is very hard,” she grumbled.

Ichuckled, and she settled in deeper. “I guess I can deal with it, though.”

Asif a light switch had been flipped, she was out between one breath and the next.

Herbody felt warm and inviting, and despite the way I’d just fucked her, my cock still wanted to do it again.

Ididn’t move a muscle, though.

Instead, I let her sleep, and dozed lightly for about two hours before her alarm clock went off at the bedside.

Igroaned and rolled, placing her underneath me, then nuzzled her neck.

“You need to get up,” I rasped against her throat.

“Don’t wanna,” she mumbled sleepily.

Iforced myself to lift my head, taking in her sleepy face.

“Call in sick,” I suggested.

Shepeeked open one eye. “IfI call in sick, it puts other people out, and I’m not that kind of person.”

Iliked that about her.

Shiftingmy hips until I fell between her now splayed thighs, I nudged at her with my hard cock.

“How much time did you give yourself before you have to leave?” I asked curiously, punctuating that statement with a press of my hips.

Shebit her lip, blinked that one eye open again, and regarded me for long moments before saying, “Ten minutes.”

Igroaned, then pushed inside of her, giving her my full length in one swift move.

Shegasped, her breasts pressing deeper into my chest.

“ThenI’ll make this quick.”

AndI did.

Ifucked her fast and hard, pulling back to my haunches so I could watch her ample tits bounce and sway.

Ittook her all of a minute and a half.

Iwas seconds behind her.

Andbefore she could get too comfortable in her boneless heap on the bed, I picked her up and walked her to the bathroom.

“You’re awfully chipper for a man who got less sleep than I did,” she grumbled as she stood in front of her sink, looking adorably cute in her sleepiness.

Ipatted her on the ass, then turned and went back to the bed.

“Wake me up when it’s time to leave,” I grumbled.

Iwas tired now, where I hadn’t been earlier. My mind had just been replaying the night, the murder, and the way she was making me feel.

Butnow, sexually sated for a second time in less than three hours, I felt like I could barely keep my eyes open.

Iheard someone moving around, vaguely.

Ialso heard her murmuring to someone in the other room.

Butthe best feeling in the world was when she crawled onto the bed, kissed me on the cheek, and said, “I’m leaving.”

Ididn’t plan to get up.

Shewas going to have to deal with having me in her space until I caught a solid six hours of sleep.

“Food in the fridge is questionable, so I wouldn’t eat it,” she whispered, then she was gone.

Iwoke up seven hours later with a goddamn dinosaur on my chest, and my phone blaring an alarm.

Iblinked open one eye and came face to face with Godzilla.

“Get off me,” I grumbled, unsure where to push to get him to go away.

Hedidn’t move, so I had to grit my teeth and forcibly remove him from my chest before heading to the bathroom.

Bythe time I got back, my phone had vibrated right off the nightstand and was now beeping underneath the bed.

Ibent down to grab it and saw a couple of file folders there.

Isnatched up my phone, turned it off, then reached for one of the file folders.

Iwas just about to flip it open when I stopped myself.

Invasionof privacy wasn’t my thing.

Norwas doing anything that might make her mad at me.

Ididn’t want to get her upset with me.

Iliked her, and I didn’t want her using anything against me to push me away.

Iwanted in there.

Iwanted to stay in there, too.

Standingup, I caught up my clothes from last night and got dressed.

Iheaded out to the kitchen to find her coffee pot, and was rewarded with a real coffee pot, not a single use one.

WhileI was sitting at her table waiting for the coffee to brew, I ordered some groceries for her to arrive when she got home since I knew it would be another late night.

Ihad three unsolved murders on my plate, and I had about ten people to talk to today about them.

Thecoffee pot finished brewing, and I placed ‘order’ on my phone for groceries that I knew would be over the top to my little Maverick.

Thelast thing I did before leaving was clean up after myself, then order a meal to be sent to the hospital for her.

Afterlocking and closing her door, thankful that I didn’t need to move any iguana tails out of the way as I did, I headed outside to my truck.

Iwas just pulling out when I saw Costas drive by again.

Why was he here?